Portable, wheeled cooler apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a portable, wheeled cooler apparatus having a (1) cooler chest assembly; (2) support wheel assembly on which the cooler chest assembly is mounted; and (3) a combination handle and lock assembly connected to the cooler chest assembly to act as a lock in an enclosed condition and as a handle in a transport condition. The cooler chest assembly includes a support container member with a removable enclosure lid member mounted thereon. The support wheel assembly is operable in an upright condition of the cooler chest assembly to restrict lateral movement thereof as having support wheel members out of contact with a support surface. The cooler chest assembly is pivotal rearwardly out of contact with the support surface for ease of movement on the wheel members. The combination handle and lock assembly is provided with first and second handle sections which are operable (1) in one condition to hold the enclosure lid member against the support container member; and (2) in an extended, aligned condition to form a rigid handle assembly for movement of the entire cooler chest assembly. The combination handle and lock assembly is provided with detent lock members to releasably anchor the first wall handle section to the support container member and, additionally, to the second wall handle section in the extended condition.

PRIOR ART

A patentability investigation on this invention has revealed thefollowing United States Patents:

    ______________________________________                                        U.S. Pat. No.                                                                           Invention            Inventor                                       ______________________________________                                        2,883,731 BUDDY CART           Wells                                          3,591,194 ICE CHEST CART       Vega                                           4,242,874 ICEBOX CONVERSION UNIT                                                                             Simms                                          4,300,356 REFRIGERATION        Notaro                                                   STORAGE ASSEMBLY                                                    4,319,629 CONSTANT TEMPERATURE Hotta                                                    BOX                                                                 4,375,758 PORTABLE ICE TABLE   Simmons                                        ______________________________________                                    

The Wells patent discloses a cart structure having handles and wheelmembers mounted thereon but substantially different in appearance to ourinvention.

The Hotis reference discloses a conventional constant temperature icechest type box but therein the similarities cease.

The Vega patent discloses a rectangular type ice chest cart having a lidthereon with spaced wheel members and a moveable handle member. However,the Vega device does not teach the applicant's features of the coveredspaced wheel members and a handle structure movable to a foldedcondition in order to lock a lid member in a closed condition.

Therefore, it is believed that the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus ofthis invention contains numerous features therein which would bepatentable over the noted United States Patent references.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred embodiment of this invention, a portable, wheeledcooler apparatus is provided utilizing (1) a generally rectangularcooler chest assembly; (2) a support wheel assembly having the coolerchest assembly mounted thereon; and (3) a combination handle and lockassembly secured to the cooler chest assembly operable to provide atransporting handle function and a cooler lid member lock feature. Thecooler chest assembly is provided with a support container member ofgenerally rectangular shape to hold ice and items therein and aenclosure lid member releasable mounted on the support container member.The support container member is provided with parallel end walls eachhaving a handle structure thereon for grasping, elevating, and placinginto the trunk of a vehicle or the like. The support wheel assembly isprovided with a pair of spaced wheel members interconnected by a supportshaft. The wheel members are placed in indentations in the end walls ofthe support container member so as to utilize a minimum amount of spacefor storage and transporting thereof. The combination handle and lockassembly includes an elongated interconnected first wall handle sectionand second wall handle section which are pivotally connected at one endto the cooler chest assembly. The combination handle and lock assemblyoperable in (1) an aligned, elongated condition to provide a rigidhandle structure for ease of transport and movement of the cooler chestassembly similar to that of a hand dolly structure; and (2) foldableinto a locked condition over the closure lid member so as to seal andanchor in an enclosed cooling condition.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One object of this invention is to provide a portable, wheeled coolerapparatus which is compact in structure having recessed wheel membersand a combination handle and lock assembly which is movable from usageto locked conditions.

One other object of this invention is to provide a portable, wheeledcooler apparatus being of a modernistic design with high insulationcharacteristics and able to be easily moved while carrying a heavy loadtherein.

Still, one further object of this invention is to provide a portable,wheeled cooler apparatus having a cooler chest assembly mounted on asupport wheel assembly for ease of movement when in a rearwardly tiltedcondition with a foldable combination handle and lock assembly similarto a hand dolly structure.

Still, one other object of this invention is to provide a portable,wheeled cooler apparatus having a folded handle assembly which functionsboth as (1) extendably in an upright position for ease of tilting andmovement of the entire cooler apparatus; and (2) foldable downward overan enclosure lid member to seal the same for energy efficient purposesand lockable to limit access thereto.

Still, another object of this invention is to provide a portable,wheeled cooler apparatus which is sturdy in construction; attractive inappearance; easy to move and manipulate on a support wheel assembly; andfoldable into an enclosed locked condition requiring a minimum amount ofspace for storage or transporting purposes.

Various other objects, advantages, and feature of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdiscussion, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURES OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable, wheeled cooler apparatusof this invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the portable, wheeled coolerapparatus of this invention illustrating a combination handle and lockassembly in an upright extended condition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 1of a portion of the combination handle and lock assembly in the thefolded condition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the combination handleand lock assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view3 of the portable, wheeled coolerapparatus of this invention having a portion broken away to illustratethe construction of a typical insulated sidewall;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus ofthis invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7--7in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portable, wheeledcooler apparatus of this invention shown in a tilted transport conditionand further illustrated in dotted lines in an upright usage position.

The following is a discussion and description of preferred and specificembodiments of the new portable, wheeled cooler apparatus of thisinvention, such being made with reference to the drawings, whereupon thesame reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar partsand/or structure. It is to be understood that such discussion anddescription is not to unduly limit scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

On referring to the drawings in detail and in particular FIG. 1, aportable, wheeled cooler apparatus of this invention, indicatedgenerally at 12, is shown in the enclosed folded condition fortransporting and/or storage. The portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12consists of (1) a generally rectangular cooler chest assembly 14 to holditems to be cooled therein; (2) a support wheel assembly 16 to receivethe cooler chest assembly 14 thereon for movement over a support surface15; and (3) a combination handle and lock assembly 18 operable to bemoved from the enclosed locked condition as shown in FIG. 1 to anextended transport position as shown in FIG. 2.

The cooler chest assembly 14 includes a support body or container member20 having a releasable enclosure lid member 22 mounted thereon. Thesupport container member 20 is generally of a box rectangular shapehaving a bottom wall 24 with integral, spaced parallel side walls 28, 30connected to the bottom wall 24; and end walls 32, 34 integral with thebottom wall 24 and adjacent portions of the side walls 28, 30.

As noted in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bottom wall 24, side walls 28, 30 and endwalls 32, 37 are provided with an insulation material 33 mounted withinspaced wall sections 35 thereof so as to achieve a high insulatingcharacteristic to the cooler chest assembly 14.

The enclosure lid member 22 is provided with a main body section 36;stepped side wall sections 34 about the outer periphery of the main bodysection 36; and the insulation material 33 sandwiched between upper andlower wall sections 35 as noted in FIG. 7. A stepped side wall section40 is adapted to be engagable and placed over an upper wall portion 41on the upper periphery of the support container member 20 so as toprovide a locked and sealed condition and prevent unintentional, lateralmovement of the enclosure lid member 22.

The end walls 32 and 37 are each provided with (1) a tapered wallsection 38; (2) a handle member 34 extended between the tapered wallsections 38; and (3) a wheel cutout section 39. Each wheel cutoutsection 39 is extended inwardly from an outer portion of the respectivetapered wall sections 38 and the handle member 34 so that wheel membersof the support wheel assembly 16 are protected and do not catch on otheritems when stored in the trunk of a vehicle or the like.

The support wheel assembly 16 includes a pair of spaced, parallel wheelmembers 42 interconnected by a main support shaft 44. Each wheel member42 is provided with a wheel support hub 46 mounted on a respective tiremember 48. The support shaft 44 is extended through openings therearward sidewall 30 and rotatable in bearing members (not shown) aconventional manner.

It is noted that the wheel members 42 are adapted to be placed withinthe respective wheel cutout sections 39 with a lower surface 49 of therespective tire members 48 substantially in line with a bottom surface57 of the bottom wall 24 of the support container member 28 as noted inFIG. 7. This position of the support shaft 44 and the outer surface 49of the tire member 48 and bottom surface 51 of the cooler chest assembly14 maintains the entire portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 in anon-moving condition as shown in FIG. 5. When the cooler chest assembly14 is tilted rearwardly as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8, the entireportable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 is supported on the outer surface49 of the tire members 48 for transporting and movement over the supportsurface 15.

The combination handle and lock assembly 18 includes (1) an anchormember 50 secured to the front sidewall 28 to clamp the entire coolerchest assembly 14 in a folded, locked condition; (2) a top or first wallhandle section or assembly 52; (3) a side or second wall handle sectionor assembly 54 pivotally connected to the first wall handle section 52(4) connector members 58 to pivotally interconnect the first wall handlesection 52 to the cooler chest assembly 14 and, additionally, to thefirst wall handle section 52; and (5) detent lock members 60 to hold thehandle sections 52, 54 in the extended, transport condition.

The first wall handle section 52 includes a pair of spaced, parallelsupport tubes 59 interconnected by spaced crossbar members 62 to providea rigid framework. A lowest portion of the parallel support tubes 59 arepivotally connected through connector members 58 and detent lock emmbers60 to an adjacent portion of the support chest assembly 14. This can beto parallel tube members 61 which will be an identical connection of theconnector members 58 and the detent lock members 60 as the connection ofthe first wall handle section 52 to the second wall handle section 54 asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to be explained.

The side or second wall handle section 54 is constructed with a parallelpair of the upright, spaced parallel support tubes 59 which areinterconnected by a top lock crossbar member 66 as noted in FIG. 2. theadjacent support tubes 59 on the handle sections 52, 54 areinterconnected by conductor members 58 and detent lock members 60.

The upper lock crossbar member 66 is adapted to be inserted within theanchor member 50 in a snapped locked condition similar to a broom handleholder to secure in the folded condition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Theanchor member 50 could be a key actuated lock if more security orlimited access to the cooler chest assembly 14 is desired.

The connector members 58 hinge members 70 which are pivotal in aconventional manner and a side view thereof is clearly shown in FIG. 4.Each hinge member 70 is provided with two connector sections 67 whichare pivotal about a central pivot shaft 68 in a conventional manner.

Each detent lock member 60 includes (1) a clip member 74; (2) rivetmembers 76 to anchor to the clip member 74 to the respective supporttubes 59; and (3) a lock stud 73 connected to and extended inwardly fromthe clip member 74. A detent lock member 60 may be provided at eachlocation of the hinge members 70 if so desired.

Each adjacent support tube 59 is provided with a lock hole 77 to receivethe respective ones of the lock studs 73 therein when in the lockedextended condition.

As noted in FIG. 3, the respective ones of the support tubes 59 adjacentto the respective detent lock members 60 is provided with a cutoutsection 75 to allow the adjacent end portion of the support tubes 59 tobe pivotally movable therein in an aligned condition of the supporttubes 59. At this time, the respective lock studs 73 move into thealigned lock holes 77 to anchor the entire combination handle and lockassembly 18 in the extended condition as shown in FIG. 2.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

In the use and operation of the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 ofthis invention, it is noted that an enclosed, locked condition is shownin FIG. 1 with the combination handle and lock assembly 18 in the foldedcondition. At this time, the second wall handle section 54 is foldeddownwardly over the front side wall 28 with the lock crossbar member 66received within the anchor member 50. Due to the structural dimensions,this provides for a firm locking condition whereupon the first wallhandle section 52 is placed against and tends to press the enclosure lidmember 22 against the support container member 20 to provide anefficient seal thereabout to maintain heated or cooled temperatureswithin the insulated interior of the support container member 20.

It is noted that the respective wheel members 42 are within therespective wheel cutout sections 39 so as to have an outer surface ofthe tire members 48 within or aligned with an outer upright surface ofthe handle member 34 and tapered wall sections 33. This is desirable toachieve an attractive appearance and not interfer with the grasping andlifting of the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 by the handlemembers 34 from a storage condition or from the trunk of a vehicle.

On utilization of the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 to betransported along the support surface 15, it is obvious that the secondwall handle section 54 may be grasped to move the lock crossbar member66 from its connection to the anchor member 50 so as to be axiallyaligned with the first wall handle section 52. On movement to thiscondition, it is obvious that the clip members 74 mounted on the firstwall handle section 52 are moved outwardly from within the respectivelock holes 77. At this time, the second handle wall section 54 is movedinto axial alignment with the first wall handle section 52 as noted inFIG. 2. After being placed in axial alignment, the respective clipmembers 74 are released so that the lock members 73 are moved within thealigned lock hole 77 to lock the handle sections 52, 54 in the extendedposition.

Concurrently, the first wall handle section 52 is moved upwardly so asto be in vertical alignment with support tube sections 61 which aresecured to the back side wall 30 having detent lock members 60 mountedthereon. At this time, the lower clip members 74 are moved outwardly andthe support tubes 59 of the top wall handle section 52 are moved intorespective cutout sections 75 in the support tubess 61. At this time,the clip members 74 are released to extend the respective lock stud 73within the aligned lock holes 77 in the adjacent support tubes 59, 61.

After this is accomplished, the entire combination handle and lockassembly 18 is in the extended condition as shown in Fig. 2 and presentsa rigid structure similar to that of a hand dolly structure.

In this condition, it is obvious that the second wall handle section 54can be grasped at the lock cross bar member 66 to tilt the cooler chestassembly 14 backwardly on the tire members 48 as noted in FIG. 8. Due toconfiguration of the support container member 20, this rearward tiltingwould pivot the bottom surface 51 of the cooler chest assembly 14 out ofcontact with the support surface 15. In this condition, it is obviousthat the combination handle and lock assembly 18 is operable to move thecooler chest assembly 14 on the support wheel assembly 16 as desiredthus without straining the person moving same.

In the condition of FIG. 2, it is obvious that the enclosure lid member22 can be removed to gain access to the interior of the supportcontainer member 20 to add or remove ice or contents therefrom as sodesired.

It is seen that the portable, wheeled cooler apparatus 12 of thisinvention is of a modernistic, compact design with the wheel members 42hidden and enclosed within the wheel cutout sections 39 to provide anattractive appearance. The bottom wall 24 is provided with a pluralityof parallel rib sections 80 for increased strength and an attractiveappearance. The end walls 32, 37 are provided with the tapered wallsections 33; the handle members 34, and the wheel cutout sections 39 soas to be attractive in appearance.

The combination handle and lock assembly is provided with interconnectedhandle sections which are movable to a compact, folded, condition tohold the enclosure lid member against the support container member.Additionally, the handle sections are movable to axial alignment in theextended condition to act as a handle assembly for ease of movement ofthe cooler chest assembly of this invention.

The portable, wheeled cooler apparatus of this invention is attractivein appearance; sturdy in construction; easily movable through a handlemember to various locations; and foldable to a compact condition forease of storage and requiring a minimum amount of space therefore.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferredspecific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that thisdescription is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of thisinvention which is defined by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A portable, wheeled cooler apparatus adapted to besupported on and easily moved along a support surface, comprising;(a) acooler chest assembly including a support container member having anenclosure lid member connected thereto to hold ice and/or other contentstherein for insulating purposes; (b) a support wheel assembly connectedto said cooler chest assembly operable for supporting on the supportsurface; and (c) a combination handle and lock assembly connected to anupright wall of said support container member of said cooler chestassembly and operable (1) in one position extended over said enclosurelid member and against another upright wall of said support containermember to hold said cooler chest assembly in an enclosed, lockedcondition; and (2) in a second extended rigid condition to provide ahandle assembly for ease of inclining and moving said cooler chestassembly by pulling or pushing on said support wheel assembly.
 2. Aportable, wheeled cooler apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:(a)said cooler chest assembly includes said support container member havingsaid enclosure lid member releasably connected thereto; and (b) saidcombination handle and lock assembly pivotally connected to said coolerchest assembly and movable over and against said enclosure lid memberand releasably locked to said another upright wall to press against saidsupport container member to provide sealing thereagainst.
 3. A portable,wheeled cooler apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein:(a) saidcombination handle and lock assembly includes an anchor member securedto said another upright wall of said support container member; a firstwall handle section pivotally connected to said cooler chest assembly;and a second wall handle assembly pivotally connected to said first wallhandle assembly and engagable with said anchor member in a lockedcondition so as to hold said enclosure lid member against said supportcontainer member.
 4. A portable, wheeled cooler apparatus as describedin claim 1, wherein:(a) said combination handle and lock assemblyincludes a (1) first wall handle assembly pivotally connected to saidupright wall of said cooler chest assembly at one end thereof; (b) asecond wall handle asembly pivotally at another end of said first wallhandle assembly; (c) said second wall handle assembly having a lockcross bar member; and (d) an anchor member connected to said anotherupright wall of said cooler chest assembly to receive a portion of saidlock cross bar member therein in a locked condition.
 5. A portable,wheeled cooler apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:(a) saidcombination handle and lock assembly having connector members topivotally connect a first wall handle section to a second wall handlesection; and detent lock members connected to said cooler chest assemblyand said first wall handle section so as to be operable to hold saidfirst wall handle section and said second wall handle section in analigned, rigid condition so that said combination handle and lockassembly is extended in a common plane and operable to pivot and movesaid cooler chest assembly from a first upright position supported on abottom wall of said support container member to a second inclinedposition supported on said support wheel assembly for ease of movementthereof.
 6. A portable, wheeled cooler apparatus adapted to be placed ina normal upright condition against movement on a support surface andpivotal to an inclined position for movement and transporting thereof,comprising:(a) a cooler chest assembly having a support container memberwith an enclosure lid member releasably connected thereto; (b) saidsupport container member having a bottom wall supported on the supportsurface when in an upright condition; (c) support wheel assembly havingspaced wheel members and connected to said cooler chest assembly andoperable in the inclined position to be readily movable on said wheelmembers and move said bottom wall out of contact with the supportsurface; and (d) a combination handle and lock assembly connected tosaid cooler chest assembly and operable in one condition to anchor andsurround said enclosure lid member against said support containermember; and in a second condition to be extended in a common plane andpivotal rearwardly to pivot said cooler chest assembly to be supportedonly on said wheel members for movement thereof.
 7. A portable, wheeledcooler apparatus as described in claim 6, whereupon:(a) said combinationhandle and lock assembly includes a detent lock member having clipmembers connected to said first wall handle section and said second wallhandle section; and (b) said clip member movable against bias pressurehaving in said first wall handle section and said second wall handlesection a lock stud engagable with lock holes so as to anchor saidcombination handle and lock assembly in the locked, rigid extendedcondition for transport thereof without lifting required.
 8. A portable,wheeled cooler apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein:(a) saidsupport container member includes said bottom wall integral withrespective parallel side walls and end walls; (b) said end walls eachhaving a tapered wall section; handle members mounted in said taperedwall sections; and a wheel cutout section to receive respective wheelmembers therein; and (c) said wheel cutout sections to retain said wheelmembers inwardly of said handle member and an outermost portion of saidtapered wall section to provide an attractive appearance and within theouter confines of said bottom wall and said end walls so as to notinterfer with any other structure when placed into a trunk compartmentor the like of a vehicle.
 9. A portable, wheeled cooler apparatus asdescribed in claim 6, wherein:(a) said support container member includesspaced end walls each having a tapered wall section and a wheel cutoutsection to receive and enclosure respective ones of said wheel memberstherein to require a minimum amount of space for conveyance and storage.10. A portable, wheeled cooler apparatus as described in claim 6wherein:(a) said support container member having spaced side walls; and(b) said combination handle and lock assembly of generally U-shaped tocontact said side walls and said enclosure lid member to secure sameagainst said support container member in said one condition.
 11. Aportable, wheeled cooler apparatus adapted to be supported on and easilymoved along a support surface, comprising:(a) a cooler chest assembly tohold ice and/or other contents therein for insulating purposes; (b) asupport wheel assembly connected to said cooler chest assembly operablefor supporting on the support surface; (c) a combination handle and lockassembly connected to said cooler chest assembly and operable (1) in oneposition to hold said cooler chest assembly in an enclosed, lockedcondition; and (2) in a second extended condition to provide a handleassembly for ease of inclining and moving said cooler chest assembly onsaid support wheel assembly; (d) said combination handle and lockassembly having connector members to pivotally connect a first wallhandle section to a second wall handle section; and detent lock membersconnected to said cooler chest assembly and said first wall handlesection so as to be operable to hold said first wall handle section andsaid second wall handle section in an aligned, rigid condition so thatsaid combination handle and lock assembly is extended in a common planeand operable to pivot and move said cooler chest assembly; and (e) saiddetent lock members include clip members having laterally extended lockstuds thereon movable within lock holes in adjacent portions of saidfirst wall handle section and said second wall handle section so as toprovide a locking feature of said lock studs within respective ones ofsaid lock holes to anchor said first wall handle sections and saidsecond wall handle sections in an aligned, rigid condition fortransporting of said cooler chest assembly.